The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1887-03-04

victed sinner 90 to n dancing
church member for information?
a verifcation Of "when the blind
lead the blind, both fall in the
ditch. Would you dancing
Christians have the effrontery to
ask a sinnerto accept the
religion you live? You would
remind yourself Of "Satan rebuk-
ing sin" Christ said "let your
light shine" etc. Does dancing
make a first rate reflector of the
light? Was any one ever induced
to glorify God by seeing others
dance? "Let YOUR light
shine" You arc responsible for
the shining Of it. ''Let your
light SO SHINE. How? $50
that others etc. MAKE it shine?
No, LET it shine. II only needs
chance. Why say YOUR light2
Because it was GIVEN you by the
Holy Spirit. It is intended to
shine on our actions and
our conversation. II G
who hinders the shining Of that
light oifcnds God and grieves the
Holy Spirit. Is there anything
in the dance that helps TO let your
light shine SO that men may see
its effulgoncc enough to make
them glorify God? Doyou think
there is such an abundance Of
light to be seen shining IN the
dance that men seeking light on
the obscure signboards along the
"straight and marrow way to
heaven, would 90 to the ball
room III, search OF il? If the
light will not shine in the dance,
It be because there is something
wrong Do YOU suppose the
trouble is With the light: You
arc compelled to say no. Then
it must be with the dance. Sup
pose orc Of those lamps were
lighted and 4 shcet-iron chimney
put on it, do you suppose the
light would shine through? Not
much, I guess. Just so it is with
the christian light in the ball
room. Ii doesn't shine simply
because the dance will not let it.
What would you do in the case
of the lamp? Put on a trans
parent chimney wouldn't you {?
Is Mt the light Of Gods love Of
more worth to the poor hc-nighted
sinner, cropping his way to hell
amid the fog and the darkness
Of this world than the light Of a
lamp to you? Then take off the
old smoked chimney, and let it
shine. Both the sinner and the
christian needs it.
Upon the dark mountains they stumble
They are bruised on ile rocks, and they lie
With white pleading faces turned upward
~ thc clouus ana Lue pltIul SKY,
There is many a lamp that is lighted;
We behold a near and afar
But not many Of them my brother.
Slime steadily on like a star.
Ifonce all the lamps that arc lighted
Should steadily blaze in line;
Wide oyer the land and TIE ocean,
What girdle Of glory should shinei
| How IN the dark places would brighten
How the mists would roll up and away!
How the Garth would laugh out in her glad
ness.
To hail the miliennial day
Say, is your lamp burning mT brotherl
pray you look quickly and see
| For If It were burning, then surely.
Some beam would fail brightly on mo.
There are many and many around You,
Who follow wherever you 20.
Ifyou thought they would walk in tho shadow
Your lamp would burn brighter, know
| There is no need to say you art
not responsible for the effect youl
life has on others.
You are responsible, and yol
know it. "No man liveth to him.
self" The man who tries to ex'
cuse himself by saying every maj
must count for himself, but echoe
the ott-repeated question of Cain
when he tried to escape his God
| Can't you see that you condemn
yourself by the very attempt a
| self-excuse? For, if every MAJ
must answer for himself, yol
must answer for your actions.
Paul, after enumeratlng a mum
Der of men and women, who hat
been faithful. says: "Where
fore, seeing we are compasseC
about by SO great a cloud Of wit
nesses, let us lay aside ever,
weight and the sin that doth S,
easily beset us, and run witt
patience the race that is set be
fore u.s. May be there are som
who will not admit that dancing is
sin. Suppose We grant that it is not
does that excuse it from the thing
that are to be laid aside? Don
you think it would partake some
what of the nature of a weight
Don't you think 1t would tend j
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